A Cursed Heart
by Sarie Downing
Summary: Spike has found a way to make Buffy love him...But will she accept it or will she turn him down again? Please R+R


Disclaimer: All characters are property of Joss Whedon and Mutant Enemy. However, the story line is property of yours truly.  
  
  
  
  
All she could think to do was struggle. Something had a grip on her, and that same something wasn't letting go anytime soon. Terror washed through her body and her muscles tensed. The creature that was choking off her screams, was certainly not human, and if it was, it had a terrible skin condition. Nevertheless, it was strong. Struggling to her full potential, she was not able to budge. Then she felt its slimy hands wrap around her head and neck and she knew it was over. The last thing she heard was a snap, then everything was gone. Her body crumpled to the ground and the creature stalked away.  
  
~*~*~  
  
Buffy Summers was beat. She could hardly keep her eyes open as she mixed the Bisquick to make pancakes for her and her younger sister, Dawn. Making pancakes had always been Tara's thing, but since she moved out the pancake making was now a fresh burden on Buffy's shelf of work. As Buffy finished pouring the creamy liquid into small circles on the pan, Dawn quietly entered the room in her pajamas and sat down at the counter. Buffy was in a daze and didn't even notice her appearance. A sizzle and a crackle as the pancakes started to burn snapped Buffy out of her momentary catatonic phase. She quickly flipped the pancakes and turned to toss them onto a plate.  
"Dawn!" Buffy exclaimed as she noticed her sister. "I-I didn't see you come down."  
Dawn smiled. "Yeah. You were kinda making with the sleepies."  
Buffy smiled wearily and gestured to the pancakes. "Well, dig in. Specially made pancakes courtesy of Buffy Summers."  
Dawn pulled the plate toward her and smothered the pancakes in syrup, then dug in. Through the mess of food in her mouth, Dawn smiled and complimented Buffy on the pancakes. Buffy knew they were slightly burned and Dawn was just being nice, but she smiled back and headed upstairs to get ready for another day at the Doublemeat Palace, the fast food restaurant where Buffy made her living doing odd jobs.  
On her way up the stairs she ran into Willow. She was wearing a black shirt with frayed sleeves that came off the shoulders and ended at the elbow. Her jeans were worn out and too long at the bottom, though not with the right shoes. Her flaming red hair was pulled back from her face in 2 french braids, a way she hadn't warn it since their highschool days. She looked slightly pale, even more than usual.  
"Will," Buffy stopped her on the stairs, "How are things going? I mean, are you okay?"  
Buffy had reason to question Willow's mental status. She had gone through a lot lately. She had almost gotten too involved in some heavy magick, Tara had left her, and now she was weaning herself off all magicks. Buffy knew how much work this was, and took notice to how frustrated Willow was getting lately.  
"Buffy, I'm fine. Really." Willow smiled reassuringly at Buffy. "I'm gonna go down and get some breakfast. I thought I smelled pancakes."  
"That you did. A Buffy Summers special. I'm going upstairs to get ready for work, I'll be down in a few minutes." Buffy patted Willow's arm affectionately and continued up the stairs to the bathroom.  
After she showered and dressed, she came downstairs to find the house unusually quiet. She went into the kitchen, finding it empty. Dawn must have already left for school, she thought. She found a note on the counter from Willow.  
  
Buffy,  
Gone to pick some things up from the Magic Box.  
Nothing magic. Just the laptop and a sweatshirt I left there  
last week. Be back later.  
- Will  
Buffy tossed the note aside and headed for the door. If the house was empty, she might as well leave for work early. But as she reached the door, there was a knock and it slowly opened. It was Spike. He removed the cloth from his head, the one he used to protect him from the sunlight. As a one-hundred-something year old vampire, a tan was the last thing Spike wanted. He threw the cloth on the counter and stood there in front of Buffy. Dressed in his usual black jeans and tight black tee, and his bleach blonde hair gleaming in the light, Spike wasn't bad looking. With his accentuated cheekbones and toned muscles, he was actually very good looking. But Buffy couldn't think about how good looking he was. Doing that was dangerous, it might put her back to where they were.   
Spike stopped in his tracks and stared at her, his deep blue eyes imitating those of a begging dog. He started to saunter towards her, his arms outstretched, wanting to hold her close. She backed away.  
"Spike, if what you're here for is not life or death important, you should leave." She could already feel tears forming in her eyes and her voice hardening as memories of them together flooded her mind.  
"Buffy, it is important. Maybe not life or death seeing as I'm already dead. But Buffy...I need..I love you. You don't-" He paused and Buffy took the opportunity to cut him off.  
"Spike you have to-" But Spike held up a hand and stopped her.  
"No Buffy listen to me. Let me get this all out. No interruptions or I'll go bloody insane." Buffy reluctantly shut her mouth, signally him to go on. She owed him this and she knew it. Spike took a deep breath.  
"Buffy, you think that I'm a demon. And I guess I am. But...Buffy, a demon has no soul. Which means his is not capable of feeling. So how do I love you? I remembered something today. Something the Judge said. He told me I reeked of humanity. Dru and I both. I-I am willing to do anything for you Buffy. I want to be with you. I need to. Which, is why I got this." He pulled something out of his back pocket and handed it toward Buffy. She took it into her hands, and memories of Angel flooded into her head. Spike continued. "An Orb Of Thesula. Restores a mans soul. You know the drill. Buffy, you could love Angel when he was a vampire with a soul, so I was thinking. Maybe that you..if I had a soul that you.." He sounded desperate, he was practically whimpering.   
Buffy cradled the Orb in her hands. "Spike go home." He sighed and reached for the orb. But she yanked it out of his reach. "I don't want you doing anything stupid. Now get out." She sneered and turned away from him. He hung his head, grabbed his cloth, and walked out the door.  
  
~*~*~ 


End file.
